It is commonly accepted that fouling streets and parks, and even private gardens, with dog or other animal excrement is both unhygienic and unpleasant. The majority of devices available to keep public areas clean of animal excrement are of the type that cleans up after the excrement has been deposited. This can be an unpleasant task and is never entirely effective: inevitably some traces of excrement will be left after even the most careful attempt to scrape up the deposit.
An obvious solution to this problem is to catch the excrement in a receptacle before it reaches the ground. Devices that attempt to do this are can broadly be divided into two types: those fixed in position on the animal and those free of the animal.
An example of the former type is U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,260 which discloses a lash-holder holding a plastic throw-away bag under the pat. The bag is removably secured to a bent tube attached to a handle having a leash latch pivoting thereon. The disadvantage with this device, and with other devices which are not fixed in position on the animal, is that the person responsible for the animal needs to hold it in the correct position themselves, requiring them to pay constant and careful attention. It also means that the animal can not be allowed to run free.
An example to the latter type is U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,960. This discloses an apparatus for collecting and disposing of animal excrement that has an elastic harness assembly attachably secured to the rear portion of the animal, and an excrement container cooperating with, and removable from, the harness assembly. The disadvantage of this particular device is that the straps that hold it in place about the tail and haunches of the animal, also constricts the animal's movements and are likely to be uncomfortable due to the pressure they exert on the animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,419 discloses an appliance for collecting animal in which a harness is fitted on the trunk of a dog for holding a collector in position across the rear of the dog. The harness in this device again engages the legs of the animal, constricting its movements, and further rests on the animal's tail, causing discomfort to the tail and preventing it from moving the tail freely.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,148 discloses an apparatus for collecting animal excrement for disposal thereof, and comprises a harness that fits over the posterior of the animal and a disposable excrement receiving bag. This device involves a strap that runs along the stomach and between the unfortunate animal's leg before attaching to a ring around the animal's tail, with the disadvantage that it causes discomfort to male and female animals alike. It also requires the animal to have a tail.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,041 discloses an excrement catching device for a dog wherein the dog has a tail, a rear end and a stomach portion. The disadvantage of this device is that it again requires the animal to have a tail to which to attach a strap that holds the excrement catching receptacle in place, and that the tail strap constricts the movements of the animal's tail, causing discomfort.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,801 discloses a device to be worn by an animal to accept feces. This device too, requires the animal to have a tail. It uses a substantially rigid curved contact member that fits adjacent to the buttocks of the animal, whose rigidity in close contact with the buttocks will cause the animal discomfort and constricts its movements.